passage, the quarterly newsletter of dressage winnipeg ... · please postdate the volunteer...

PASSAGE, the Quarterly Newsletter of Dressage Winnipeg

Spr ing 2005 Is sue

PassagPas sagPas sageee The News let t er o f


Dressage Winnipeg

Board of Directors 2005

MEMBERSHIP (1st Yr) Lynn Riddell 18 Leeward Place Winnipeg, Mb. R3X 1K9 Hm: (204)-253-2317 e-mail: [email protected] Work: (204) 927-2781 e-mail: [email protected] EDUCATION/LIBRARY (1st Yr) Lori Minkus-Weisner Winnipeg, Mb Email: [email protected] NEWSLETTER/WEBPAGE (3rd Yr)

Myriam Dyck Box 15, RR#1 Richer, Mb R0E 1S0 Hm: 422-6729 Cell: 795-5519 Email: [email protected]

SHOW CHAIRPERSON (2nd Yr) Christy Lee 54 Harbour Cove St Francois Xavier, Mb R4L 1C3 Wk: 975-5419 Cell 799-6491 Email: [email protected] DRESSAGE CANADA REP. (Member at Large) Kathryn Young 235 Yale Ave. Winnipeg, MB. R3M 0L3 Hm: 284-2044 Wk: 474-8864 Fax: 474-7610 e-mail: [email protected] MANITOBA HORSE COUNCIL Rep.(3rd Yr) Alison Elliott 535 McNaughton Ave. Winnipeg, Mb R3L 1S7 Hm: 284-3976 Wk: 452-2601 Fax: 943-1973 Email: [email protected] CADORA Rep. None one in place at this time MANITOBA HORSE COUNCIL 925-5718 – Switchboard 925-5719 Flo Watson

CHAIRPERSON (3rd Yr) Judy Wittman

254 Highway #1 St. Francois Xavier, Mb R4L 1A1 Hm: 864-2562 Fax: 864-2471 (Call first) Email: [email protected] VICE-CHAIRPERSON (1st Yr) Tammy McBain 85 Lannoo Drive Winnipeg, Mb R3R 3T4 Hm: 489-4342 Email: [email protected] TREASURER (3rd Yr) Chris Dolinski Box 82 St. Norbert Stn. 4180 Waverley St. South Winnipeg, Mb R3V 1L5 Hm: 477-9049 Wk: 269-9933 Cell: 793-4567 Fax: 269-9933 Email: [email protected] SECRETARY (2nd Yr)

Sandra Warawa 288 Highway #1 St. Francois Xavier, Mb R4L 1A1 Hm: 864-2712 Email: [email protected]

BINGO Rep. (2nd Yr) Melissa Johnston 10 Sandham Cres. Winnipeg, Mb R3R 1M7 Hm: 895-9686 Wk: 299-9876

Email: [email protected] SPONSORSHIP/ADVERTISING (1st year) Kathryn Sinclair Box 367 Oakbank, Mb. R0E 1J0 Phone: 444-3249 e-mail: [email protected] VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR (2nd Yr)

Jane Fudge #206-1683 Pembina Hwy Winnipeg, Mb R3T 2G6 Hm: 275-8794 Email: [email protected]


Upcoming Events:

Spring Flowers Show May 7th & 8th, 2005

Capt. De Kenyeres Trophy Competition June 11th & 12th, 2005

Manitoba Provincial

Championships September 17th & 18th, 2005

Prize list and entry forms available for download from the Dressage

Winnipeg web site and have been mailed out.

Show secretary 2005:

Sandra Warawa 864-2712 Email: [email protected]

Westman CADORA 2005 Show Schedule

May 28-29 Judge Nancy Olson from B.C.

June 26 Judge Joan Johnson from Ottawa

August 28 Judge E. Banfield-Page from Mb.

All shows @ WKM Stables Brandon area

Contact: Chair, Flo Wotton @728-2184 in Brandon

Dressage at PineRidge:

A schooling show will be held at PineRidge Equine Park on July 22-24th, 2005.

More info coming soon... contact person is Sue Downs, email: [email protected]

Dressage Clinic:

Sunday, May 15 at Pine Ridge Equestrian Centre, clinician is Elaine Banfield.

Theme for the clinic is “test riding”. The morning will be a group session and the

afternoon will be one on one. Clinic fee $100., which includes over night stabling

and lunch. You must pre-register by calling Elaine 224-1227 or Gerry 981-5242.

Freestyle Clinic with Karen Robinson from www.applausedressage.com

The clinic is scheduled for May 14 and 15. The location will be StoneHill Farm 13

miles south of Brandon. Contact Lori Versavel if you are interested in attending this

clinic 204-727-2922 or email [email protected] . (See page 27 for more info)


Dressage Winnipeg

2005 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name: Home Ph: _________________ Address: Work Ph: _________________ Fax: _________________ Postal Code: Date of Birth (for Juniors): Stable name & phone: ___________________________________ Email: _____________________

**Please provide us with your email address if you have one. Communication through email helps to keep Dressage Winnipeg postage costs down.

Dressage Winnipeg Membership

Volunteer Commitment for Regular (Junior or Senior) Members

CADORA Inc. Membership (Optional)

Make cheque payable to “Dressage Winnipeg” for both Dressage Winnipeg and CADORA fees.

Mail this application form and cheques to: Lynn Riddell 18 Leeward Place Winnipeg MB R3X 1K9 253-2317 (H) 927-2782 (W)

Before Feb 1, 2005 After Feb 1, 2005

FAMILY $40.00 $50.00

ASSOCIATE (Non-Voting, Non-Competitive) $20.00 $20.00

SENIOR $25.00 $35.00

JUNIOR (Not reached their 18th birthday by Jan 1, 2005) $15.00 $25.00

Pay out now….. $60.00 $60.00

OR

Commit to Volunteer AND include a separate deposit to se-cure your commitment. PLEASE PostDate the volunteer commitment cheque to November 1, 2005.

JUNIOR $20.00

SENIOR $30.00

Additional Omnibus $20.00

Late Fee after April 1st, 2005 $10.00


Dressage Winnipeg

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS There are two main categories of membership in Dressage Winnipeg; Regular members and Associ-ate members. Regular members may be either Junior, Senior or Family members. All Associate and Regular members enjoy the following privileges:

• Entitlement to borrow books or videos from the Dressage Winnipeg lending library

• Reduced member rates at Dressage Winnipeg clinics or information sessions

• Receive newsletters and other bulletins

• Regular members in addition, are eligible to compete at Dressage Winnipeg shows, stand for elec-

tion to the Board of Directors, and vote at the Annual General Meeting.

Volunteer Commitment For Dressage Winnipeg to offer well-run and affordable shows, events and benefits to members at af-fordable cost, the active involvement of volunteers is vital. To ensure that volunteers can be counted on when needed, the volunteer portion of the Regular membership in Dressage Winnipeg has proven to be an essential component. Here's how it works. When you join Dressage Winnipeg as a Regular Junior, Senior or Family member, you commit to DW for at least six hours of volunteer time during the course of the year. Most people choose to volunteer at either a show or a bingo, but other volunteer options are possible too. The six volunteer hours can be worked all at once or in variable flexible combinations. The Volunteer Committee will attempt to schedule you in to the preferred area you indicated on your application, but please keep in mind that it is the member's responsibility to contact the Volunteer Coor-dinator to coordinate your commitment. The sooner you do that the better your choices will be. Members are expect ed to volunteer their own time, but a friend or relative could also ful fill your com-mitment. Your commitment to volunteer is secured with a separate post-dated cheque that accompanies your membership form. Your cheque is post-dated for November 1, 2005. If you ful fill your volunteer commitment your cheque is destroyed. If for some reason you do not fulfill at least 6 hours of volunteer time during the year, your cheque will be cashed. If 6 hours of volunteering is not something you can work into your schedule then you can take the op-tion of immediately paying out your $60.00 with your membership form. Please note that a $60.00 Vol-unteer Commitment is required for each Regular member (Junior or Senior) in a Family membership.

CADORA Inc. CADORA Inc., (Canadian Dressage Owners and Riders Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of Dressage in Canada. Membership in CADORA is optional. You do not have to be a CADORA member to compete in Dressage Winnipeg shows. By joining CADORA, you benefit by receiving an Omnibus, a quarterly newsletter (CADORA INK), and members are eligible for CADORA awards. More information on CADORA is available on their website at www.cadora.ca .

PASSAGE, th

e Quarterly N

ewsletter of D

ressage W

innipeg

P

age 7

Volunteer Duties May Show June Show Sept Show

Day preference

Time Preference

Day preference

Time Prefer-ence

Day prefer-ence

Time Prefer-ence

Ring Monitor Friday War-mup

Fri aft only Fri aft only Fri aft only

Scribe (Specify experience Y/N, level?)

Sat or Sun? AM or PM? Sat or Sun? AM or PM?

Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Assistant to Show Secretary Sat or Sun? AM or PM? Sat or Sun? AM or PM?

Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Assistant to Volunteer Chair


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Announcer (State i f previ-ous experience)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Assistant to the Steward Sat or Sun? AM or PM? Sat or Sun? AM or PM?

Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Awards Committee (awards

distribution at show)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Tabulator Sat or Sun? AM or PM? Sat or Sun? AM or PM?

Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Runner Sat or Sun? AM or PM? Sat or Sun? AM or PM?

Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Flower Committee (Handles flowers at shows)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Gate Keepers (may be com-bined with Whipper-in)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Whipper-in (Directs riders from warmup ring to show ring on time)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Driver of judges (Non-competitor)


Sat or Sun?

AM or PM?

Please circle your preference of Days and Times

Opportunities for Volunteering 2005

Nam

e:

CHOICES:

1) I w

ant my volunteer ch

eque to be gifted

to Dressa

ge Winnipeg in lieu of volunteer h

ours. _

_____

(If you are g

ifting your v

olunteer ch

eque, it is n

ot n

ecessary to

write a sep

arate cheque. S

imply w

rite one ch

eque

for y

our m

embersh

ip fees an

d th

e volunteer g

ift)

2) I w

ould like to do my 6 hours of v

olunteerin

g (does not have to be in one 6 h

our block, but can be spread out

over a number of events).

(Enclo

se your vo

lunteer co

mmitm

ent ch

eque o

f $60 d

ated

for N

ovem

ber 1

st, 20

05. If yo

ur 6

hours a

re fulfilled by

that d

ate, th

e cheque w

ill not b

e cashed and w

ill be d

estroyed

. Should yo

ur h

ours n

ot be fulfilled

, the ch

eque w

ill be ca

shed.)

Please ch

eck off th

e times an

d duties w

hich

you w

ould lik

e and w

e will try to

assign d

uties acco

rdingly. W

e cannot

guaran

tee th

at you w

ill get th

at specific p

ositio

n as each

show m

ust b

e staffed out o

f the v

olunteer b

ase. P

lease be as

precise as p

ossib

le and in

dicate w

hich

job(s) y

ou are w

illing to assu

me at w

hich

times as th

is will h

elp the V

olunteer

Coordinato

r greatly

in plan

ning out th

e year in

advance! S

everal m

ay be selected

. Th

an

k yo

u.


Peak of the Market

is thanked for

their contribution

to Dressage Winnipeg

2004

www.peakmarket.com

Form continued…. 3. Other activities throughout the year or part of the year – this can include contributing professional skills.

Comments:

THANK YOU!

Other Activities

Bingo volunteer (evenings only)

Newsletter Team

Sponsorship

Education/Clinics

De Kenyeres Program

Photography at shows

Media Liaison

Other


Conrad Schumacher and Dr. Hillary Clayton on

The Conformation of the Dressage Horse Written by Bill Woods, Published in the summer 2000 issue of USDF Connections

One session at the 1999 National Symposium was devoted to the qualities Mr. Schumacher

and Dr. Clayton look for in a horse that can go to the highest levels of dressage.

According to Mr. Schumacher, first he looks for the "middle" of the horse to be at the point

where the rear potion of the raised spines of the thoracic vertebrae (which form the withers)

blend into the flat of the horse's back. This allows the rider to sit over the horse's center of

gravity. When horses are constructed with the withers very forward, with a long back and a

high croup, it is impossible to sit with enough of the horse "in front of the rider" and very hard

to produce collection.

Mr. Schumacher also wants a horse that is "rectangular" in appearance. From his chest to his

hindquarters, he should be longer than his height from the withers to the ground. His length

should come, not from the back itself being long, but from a big shoulder and from big

quarters. The legs should be relatively short with the joints near the ground. This gives the

horse a better natural balance. "Long legged horses look very elegant," he observed, "but try to

ride a six meter volte with them!"

Ideally, the horse's neck should be set on at a ninety-degree angle to the slope of the shoulder

so that the horse can carry himself "up" in front. Mr. Schumacher also looks at the connection

between the neck and head. The neck must not be too thick, which would impede lateral flex-

ion at the poll. The top of the first vertebra and the occipital bone must be flat , that is, nearly at

the same height. If the first vertebra is higher, the horse will overflex too easily and come

behind the bridle. If the first vertebra is too low compared to the occipital bone, it is too

difficult to get the horse to be round enough in his frame. You should also be able to fit your

fist in the space under and between the horse's jawbones, and there must be enough space in

the throatlatch area that the horse's ability to flex is unobstructed. Check, too, Mr. Schumacher

reminded, that there's enough room in the horse's mouth to accommodate a double bridle.

Not all of these features may be perfect in any given horse. If they are not, the horse must have

enough natural activity in his hindquarters to help the rider to overcome these front-end

conformation problems when training begins.

Another quality of great importance is the horse's flexibility. "We can't breed the gaits any

bigger," Mr. Schumacher said. "So in the past ten years more and more emphasis has been

placed on flexibility and temperament." With Sue Blinks's horse, Flim Flam, he demonstrated

that if he pushed lightly on the horse's back, the barrel would lower. Pushing up on the horse's

under-belly caused him to lift his back. The tail, he showed, should also be moveable, and the

neck should be pliable and bendable from side to side.

Dr. Clayton said that to her, the sum total of conformation is how the horse moves. However,

there are conformational aspects that she looks for which have a beneficial effect on sound-

ness. One is the slope of the horse's shoulder. Horses that have the top of the scapula (shoulder

blade) further back - resulting in more slope to the shoulder - are better able to absorb concus-

sion during locomotion and stay more sound. This greater slope also puts the withers and,

therefore, the saddle further back, reinforcing Mr. Schumacher's first point. Continued on Page 12 ….


Dressage Winnipeg Library

The person now in charge of the Dressage Winnipeg Library is Lori Minkus-

Weisner, who can be reached by email [email protected] There are several

new items in the library which were purchased in 2004, so “check them out”!

2003

“The One Stop Tack Shop”

Horse &

CO.

and

Westgates

For All Your Equine Needs Quality, Service and Value

Wish all Dressage Winnipeg members

a successful show season in 2005!

Westgates Horse & Co. Hwy #1 West, Oakbank Mall Headingly, MB Oakbank, MB 204-897-0740 204-444-3521


Newsletter done by…

Myriam Dyck Websites & Graphics Design

Business & Personal Websites—Newsletters and Brochures (Web or Print)

Photo Editing—Logo Design—Website Maintenance & Upgrades

WWW.DYCKWEBSITES.COM — 204-795-5519

Continued from page 9….

A second aspect is the length and slope of the humerus (the horse's "upper arm"). This bone

extends from the point of the shoulder downward and to the rear, terminating at a point

below the big bulge of the horse's triceps muscle and about halfway across the width of the

leg. According to Dr. Clayton, for better orthopedic health, this bone should be long and the

angle relatively upright. In motion the horse should have good freedom to be able to move

both the bottom part of his shoulder and his elbow forward and up.

In the hindleg, the feature that Dr. Clayton most associates both with good movement and

with soundness is the length and angle of the femur (the horse's "thigh bone"). The femur

should be long and should slope forward from the hip joint to the stifle joint, allowing the

leg to come well under the horse in motion.

"In the lower limbs," she noted, "we tend to get carried away always looking for perfection."

Recent research indicates that slight deviations from the ideal vertical alignment of the joints

have not proven to cause significant soundness problems. "In warmbloods about eighty

percent of the horses are toed-out…. I don't get too excited about minor amounts of toe-ing

in, toe-ing out or 'bench knees,' where the cannon bone is offset to the outside of the radius,"

Dr. Clayton said.

"In dressage horses," she added, "being a litt le close in the hindlegs is often a good thing.

When the horse is moving, the hock naturally turns inward and the stifle naturally turns

outward. This allows the hindleg to clear the horse's barrel. If the hocks are a litt le more in,

this gives the horse more clearance between his stifles and his barrel in the lateral move-

ments."

Looking at Flim Flam, Dr. Clayton smilingly observed that he wouldn't win a conformation

competition. "He's quite narrow through the chest and he toes out a litt le, BUT he's one of

the best horses in the world. Remember to look at the way a horse moves, not just how he

stands."

On the subject of temperament, Mr. Schumacher said that a good dressage horse must be

able to move well, but that in the upper levels, up to two-thirds of a horse's success springs

from "a will to work, his natural sensitivity, and his inner tranquility."

"Normally those with a lot of inner tranquility are lazy, and those with a lot of sensitivity are

crazy and hard to work with." Finding just the right combination is very difficult. Mr.

Schumacher cited Ideaal (ridden internationally by Jo Hinnemann, Sven Rothenberger, and

Gonnelien Rothenberger): "Ideaal was a horse with pretty bad conformation but a heart -

unbelievable - he won his last international medal at the age of twenty. He really had these

three qualities." Continued on page 17…..


Horsey Humor

Ways to sneak another horse home, and get it past your husband….. 14. Move the fish to the cellar, the goats to the kitchen, the uncle to the sofa and the dogs to the barn. Rotate weekly. Add a horse to the mix on the 5th week. Stop the rotation when the horse gets to the barn. Confused, but grateful, family won't question further. 13. Tell your husband that 'Ed' is here to repair the cable. 12. "This? This isn't a horse. This is a common Black-Throated Northern Debt Precursor'. 11. Organize a clandestine Equine Underground pipeline. Connect to breeders and trainers in several states. 10. Throw a $100 bill behind the couch. Yell "Fetch!!" While family members are fighting it out you can sneak anything (up to and including a troop of Marines) up the drive, past the house, and into the pasture. 9. Blame El Nino: The new horse washed in at high tide! 8. Wait for Halloween. Dress the new horse in a bad horse costume and march him right into the barn. 7. Swear it's your best friend's new horse, come to stay until she breaks the news to her husband. Mean-while she can be saying the same thing to HER husband. 6. Start housing the kids out in the barn to explain your long absences from the house and your frequent comings and goings. 5. Have UPS deliver the horse, tell husband they have the wrong address 4. Big Collar, license tags. Poodle trim. Insist on calling the new mare AKC Fantasyland's Fifi Splendi-phoria. 3. Sneak horse in at midnight. Return to house wearing only a trench coat and skimpy negligee - you guess from there 2. Don't buy another horse. Join the foreign exchange program: you feed, house and culturally broaden the horizon of a young foreign-born horse for 2 years. (Of course you have to mail the neighbor's eld-erly Shetland pony off to Europe in exchange). 1. 'This horse isn't ours dear. He said he's on a scavenger hunt and has to find 2 suckers with a check-book'.

(Best of luck! Haven’t quite found the best one yet myself... The Editor )

“Horse sense is usually found in people with a stable mind.”


Dressage Winnipeg Sponsorship Information (Revised 3/11/04)

(Contact Name or Individual’s Name) (Business Name if applicable) (Address) (City) (Province/State) (Country) (Postal Code) (Home Phone #) (Work Phone #) (Cell Phone #) (Fax #) (Email address) (Website)

� Please check here if you would like to receive a copy of our Newsletter

1. Donation of $100 or less (Sponsor will receive Recognition in Newsletters and Show Programs) $__________ Cash ___ or “in kind”______________________ (i.e. show prizes)

2. Donation of $100-$250 (Sponsor will receive a half-page advertisement in Newsletters and Show Programs)

$__________ Cash ___ or “in kind”______________________ (i.e. show prizes)

3. Donation of over $250 (Sponsor will receive a full Page Advertisement in Newsletters and Show Programs and be verbally recognised with an announcement during the competitions

$__________ Cash___ or “in kind” _______________________ (i.e. show prizes)

Sponsors Please Note the Following:

1. Charitable Tax receipts may be issued for contributions greater than $25. If you require a tax receipt, please make your cheque payable to “Equine Canada”, rather than “Dressage Winnipeg”. Charitable #: 122863210RR0001 2. All Advertising materials must be supplied by the sponsor in tif or jpg format, MS Word or .pdf files or as hard copy artwork that can be scanned in. If you are a business don’t forget your logo. If you require assi stance with creating your ad, or have questions concerning the requirements, please contact Myriam Dyck Ph: 795-5519 or email [email protected]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION!

Mail this form to: Kathry n Sinclair Box Box 367 Oak Bank, Mb. R0E 1J0


Continued from page 12….

With a young horse, Mr. Schumacher

says, "Look at their eye." Pointing to

Flim Flam, he said, "If I had seen him as

a young horse, the first thing I'd notice is

his natural charm and his big eyes. This

is the feel that there is character there.…

Watching a three year old loose in the

arena, what I want to see is a horse that

wants to contact me, not just one run-

ning around, crazy, with a stiff neck….

Almost like a human being, they must

look at you; they must talk to you. In the

long run this is what makes a better

horse."

Mr. Schumacher commented that for International horses, it is important to choose one that 's

big enough - one that makes a good visual impression to the judges even from eighty meters

away when he's at the far end of the arena.

Dr. Clayton warned, though, that horses that are very big are more difficult to keep sound.

With very tall horses, the mass of the horse increases more than does the strength of the

supporting tissues. Look for good-sized feet, she counseled, and ones which exactly match

each other. If one front foot is considerably smaller or narrower than the other, it may signify a

pre-existing problem.

For "normal" riders, Mr. Schumacher recommended that they find a horse that 's the right size

and proportion for their bodies. Ones that fill out your legs but are not so big that the rider's

weight goes unnoticed are ideal. The actual size isn't the most important thing. Often a smaller

horse with a nice neck who "carries himself big," will make a better impression and still be

easier to ride.

In conclusion, both Dr. Clayton and Mr. Schumacher agreed that it is easy to pick apart any

horse's conformation. But the overall picture derived from structure, flexibility, and tempera-

ment, together with his balance and how fluidly he moves, all play important roles in deter-

mining whether the horse you're looking at can do the job you want him to.

Copyright 2000 Bill Woods. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce in Passage Newsletter has been granted to Dressage Winnipeg.

Dressage Winnipeg now offers advertising for horse-related or other businesses as follows:

(rates effective Jan 1st 2004)

Other forms of advertising such as Stallion ads, coaching available, etc can be arranged. Please contact Myriam Dyck at 204-795-5519 or email [email protected] to book advertising. Assistance in designing your ad(s) is also available separately .

Website: (www.dressagewinnipeg.com) Home Page Banner Ad: $25/mo Secondary page Banner Ad: $20/mo Horse For Sale Photo Ad: $12 for members (until horse sells) $15 for non-members Classifieds: Free for items/horses under $500

$3/mo for items/horses over $500

Newsletter:

(Due to improvements in the quality of the newsletter in the past years, there has been an increase in our advertising rates. Note that Sponsors receive complimentary advertis-ing should they wish to place an ad in the newsletter - size dependent on amount of the sponsorship contribution)

Full Page Ad: $40/issue or $100/yr Hal f Page Ad: $30/issue or $80/yr Quarter Page Ad: $20/issue or $60/yr Classifieds: Free for items/horses under $500

$5/issue for items/horses over $500


Dressage Winnipeg would like to thank our

sponsors so far for 2005!

Westgates—Horse & Co. Westdale Shell Select Investor’s Group

Mor-Tack RBC Dominion Securities

Great West Life Realty Advisory Inc. Bieber Securities Bud’s Greenhouses Equine Special FX

Flo-Crest Peak of the Market Riverbend Farms

For Eyes Naturally Yours

Please consider sponsoring Dressage Winnipeg in 2005 or getting your workplace or equine-related businesses you deal with to sponsor the club! We rely upon donations from sponsors to improve our show prizes and for support of the activities of Dressage Winnipeg throughout the year. As an added incentive and to acknowledge sponsors for their contributions, some advertising is provided free of charge so this can be an opportunity for equine-related businesses to support their local sports association and get some advertising to a special target audience as well! Forms are available on page 16. If you have any questions about sponsorship, you can call Kathryn Sinclair at 444-3249 or email buckwheat_516@hotmail.


The de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund 2005

Dressage Winnipeg is pleased to announce that their

scholarship competition will be offered again to junior

riders in 2005. Riders aged 12-18 (January 1 2005- December 31 2005), who have

not won any prior de Kenyeres scholarships are eligible to compete for one of

three scholarships, which will provide funding of $500 for lessons or clinics with

a certified coach of the rider’s choice.

Riders may enter this scholarship competition by:

1. Filling out an entry form.

2. Competing in a de Kenyeres equitation class at a DW dressage show (or possi-

bly) at the PC Benefit show. An office fee of $20.00 will be charged for participa-

tion in the scholarship process of one essay evaluation and one equitation class

evaluation. (Riders may enter further equitation classes at a cost of $10.00 per ride,

if they wish to try and possibly improve their score for the selection process for the

September final class. Their highest score in any equitation class will be used in the

selection process.)

3. Writing an essay explaining their involvement with horses, their goals for

working with a dressage coach, and their future aspirations involving horses.

(Please submit this essay:

(a) On white paper (b) in no more than one type-written page or one and one half

pages of hand-written words.)

Scores will be awarded to riders in de Kenyeres equitation classes (20 % of

final score) and for the essays submitted by the participant (20% of the final score).

The top 10 highest scoring riders (based upon the essay scores and the preliminary

equitation class scores) will compete in the final equitation class (60% of final

score) for the scholarship at the September DW dressage show at Bird’s Hill Park.

Essays must be submitted to the education coordinator for Dressage Winnipeg

prior to August 22,2005.

Dressage Winnipeg Education Coordinator:

Merelyn Hunkin

Box 206, Oakville Manitoba

Phone: 1-204-267-2889.

Email: [email protected]

Entry Form enclosed on other side of this page...


de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund

Entry and Waiver Form

Rider Information: (To be accompanied by a fee of $20.00)

Name:________________________________________________________ Address : ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Birth date:____________ Phone Number:____________________________ Email Address: ______________________________MHC#:_____________ Parent’s Name(s):_______________________________________________ Address: (If different from rider’s)__________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Signature of Parent(s):____________________________________________ Dated this _____day of the month of __________________ in the year____.

I, _______________________________, by signing the above, allow my child to enter the

de Kenyeres Scholarship competition, and acknowledge that equestrian sports are a high risk sport

and involve inherent risk, and that although my child _____________________, will be wearing an

ASTM(American Society for Standards Testing Materials) approved helmet, displaying the SEI

(Safety Equipment Institute) seal, whenever mounted at any show holding a de Kenyeres equitation

class, acknowledge that no protective headgear or equipment can protect against all foreseeable

injury .I further acknowledge the risks in riding and working around horses, and that these risks can

include bodily injury to both horse and rider resulting from normal use, riding and competition. In

consideration, of being allowed to participate in the de Kenyeres program, I herby assume all risks,

and release and absolve the organizing committee of Dressage Winnipeg, their officials, volunteers,

officers and directors, of all responsibilit ies, liabilit ies or claims of any nature and kind which may

arise from my child’s participation in this program (including but not limited to bodily injury or death

to my child, and his or her mount, and damage to property from any cause whatsoever,

including the neglect of one or more of the individuals or organizations mentioned.)

Horse Information: Name:_______________________________ Age& Gender:_____________ Owner’s Name:_________________________________________________ Owner’s Address:_______________________________________________ ________________________________________MHC#:________________

Signature:______________________________ Date Signed:_____________

By signing the above, I ____________________ the owner of ____________________________’

acknowledge that my horse may be used by this rider during any and all de Kenyeres equitation

classes in the year________, and that this horse may be ridden by another competitor under

the supervision of the de Kenyeres evaluators, during an equitation class.

Equitation Class(es) Entered: (Entry to first class covered by initial fee listed above; all further class entries must be accompanied by a fee of $10.00/class.)

Date:________________ Fee Paid:__________________ Location of Class:________________________________________


THE BALANCED SEAT

by Dr. Thomas Ritter “The rider’s posture determines his safety and comfort on his horse, as well as the precise effects of his hand and leg aids, and finally the horse’s balance, position and gait.”

Theodor Heinze, Deutsche Reitkunstschule, (1889, 228, translation: TR).

The centered seat will always be a correct seat. The word “correct”

sometimes gives rise to misunderstandings in this context. Many

people take it to mean adherence to a certain superficial form. In

classical terms, however, a correct seat is first and foremost a func-

tional seat, a seat that allows the rider to influence the horse effec-

tively, because it is balanced, straight, and supple. The outward form of this seat follows its

function, i.e. the demands of balance and straightness dictate where the hands, legs, hips, and

shoulders are at any given point in time.

There is a certain freedom for adjustments in the correct seat that are dictated by the horse’s

balance, straightness, posture, and bend. These adjustments may at t imes feel quite large to the

rider, but if done correctly they are barely visible for an observer.

The stillness of a good seat is an optical illusion. It is created by a great deal of movement

beneath the surface. Every joint in the rider’s body has to participate in the absorption of the

horse’s movement. The result is the appearance of stillness. If, on the contrary, a rider tries

very hard to sit still by stiffening his muscles, the seat will become noisier and noisier. If one

joint does not move as much as required, then its neighboring joints will automatically move

excessively in order to compensate for the stiffness. The results are kicking legs, bouncing

hands, a head-bob, or worst of all, a bouncing bottom.

The classical seat with a vertical alignment of ears, shoulders, hips, and heels, is the "neutral"

position to which the rider returns immediately after all deviations that the horse may have

made necessary. It is the position in which the rider is the least burdensome, even to a young

horse - because he is sitt ing in balance with the horse. Leaving this position is either an aid,

which helps the horse improve or regain his own balance and straightness, or it is an interfer-

ence, which destroys the horse's balance and straightness.

"Neutrality" is a concept I often stress in my lessons. The rider has to keep his pelvis, his

hands, and legs in a position in which he can move them in all directions. A hollow back, for

instance, can only swing backward, not forward, which introduces stiffness and results in an

inability to sit within the horse's movement. The same thing goes for a curled wrist , and other

elements of the seat.

The basic demands to be made of a good seat, to be balanced, straight, and supple are very

simple. But how do we get there? The first stumbling block that the student runs into is that

the calibration of his body awareness is more or less out of sync with objective reality. You

can compare the student 's feel to a measuring instrument. The more sensitive and tactful the

student is, the better is the measuring instrument. However, in order to make a hi-tech

instrument practically useful, it has to be properly calibrated, otherwise the readout will be

useless, and we need the theoretical knowledge to analyze and interpret the readout correctly.

For instance, when the student feels straight, he may actually be tipping forward, collapsing in

the waist, and sitt ing more on one seat bone than the other. When the teacher then makes

Continued on Page 22 ...


Continued from Page 21 …..

adjustments to the seat, so that the student really is straight (in a neutral position) in all three

dimensions, he may feel as if were about to fall off on one side of the horse, and as if he were

about to hit the horse's croup with the back of his head. This is one of the most disorienting

phases in the student 's training, yet we have all gone through it at one time or another. It is also

one of the most crucial lessons every student has to learn, because only a rider who is straight in

all three dimensions is able to tell whether his horse is straight or crooked, balanced or unbal-

anced, and without the ability to recognize these things, the rider will never make any progress

with his horses. We have to make our own body awareness coincide with reality, so that objec-

tive straightness actually feels straight to us, while crookedness has to feel crooked.

Longe lessons are best suited to begin this process of re-calibration, during which the student

learns to feel where the straight, neutral position lies in all three axes of his body. An excellent

progression from there is a lesson in which the teacher long reins the student, because from

directly behind and close up the teacher can see even the tiniest detail of the seat alignment,

while at the same time feeling how the seat is affecting the horse. Even advanced students should

go back to longe and long rein lessons from time to time, in order to continue to refine their sense

of straightness and balance. Even in regular riding lessons, it is a good idea if the teacher begins

corrections from the inside out, that is by improving the rider's straightness and balance first,

before addressing the horse, because in most cases the horse will improve as a result of the rider's

improved straightness and balance. Continued on Page 23 …..


Continued from Page 23 …..

This re-calibration of the rider's body awareness cannot be done without a ground person.

This ground person does not necessarily have to be the most gifted horseperson, but it

should be someone who can see subtle changes in posture. Initially, the rider has to be

shown the correct, straight alignment of his body in all three axes. The next step is to learn

to listen for the horse's feedback. The horse will show an instantaneous improvement,

sometimes a quite dramatic improvement, as soon as the rider has found the correct, bal-

anced, and straight alignment of his body. The student has to learn to trust his horse in this

respect. If the horse softens and relaxes, the seat cannot be too far off the mark, no matter

how uncomfortable and strange it may feel to the rider at the time. If it does, in fact, feel

off center, there are two possible explanations. The horse either requires a slightly off-

center position due to his own crookedness, which should help to improve the horse's

straightness. Or it is an indication that the rider's subjective sense of straightness and reality

are still two different things.

The third major demand to be made of a good seat is suppleness, and this is a big problem

area for most riders. A few riders tend to be too loose, i.e. their muscle tone is too low,

which makes them unstable and floppy. The majority of riders, however, are stiff in certain

parts of their body, most notably in their hip flexor muscles, adductors, hamstrings, piri-

formis, and glutes, which makes it impossible for them to follow the horse's movement

with their hips. At the same time the abdominals, obliques, and back muscles are almost

always too weak. Toning and stretching the relevant musculature is something that can be

done very well off the horse as a preparation.

Continued on Page 24 …..


Continued from Page 23…..

On the horse, the rider can try to improve his suppleness by actively contracting the tight

muscles for a brief moment, followed by a release, so that the pulsating alternation of contraction

and release eventually leads to a deeper stretch of the muscles. Holding the body parts in place

with a permanent, unchanging muscle contraction, leads to stiffness. The combination of both

relaxation and contraction is what ultimately creates suppleness. A good teaching tool is to let the

student exaggerate the inward rotation, the backward swing and the outward lift of the thigh for a

few seconds at a t ime, so that the leg falls into the right place by itself, when the student relaxes

his legs again. This exercise should be started at the halt , but later on it can be done in all three

gaits at the longe line. It 's a great cure for "grippers".

One of the goals of dressage is to recreate the natural beauty of the horse’s gaits under the rider,

so that the horse moves as beautifully under the weight of the rider as he does at liberty. In order

to achieve this, the swinging of the horse’s back has to pass through the seat of the rider undimin-

ished. The back has to be able to rise and fall with the same ease, regardless of the rider’s

presence. If the rider merely sits passively, his weight alone can sometimes be enough to diminish

the freedom of movement of the horse’s back. In these moments, the rider has to enhance the

upswing of the horse’s back with an active contraction of his abdominal muscles, which helps the

rider’s pelvis to swing more forward-upward, without t ilt ing forward, however. Shifting one’s

weight into the inner thighs and knees can sometimes be helpful.

A final remark concerns the ability to separate all the different muscle groups from each other.

The rider has to learn to contract only those muscles that are absolutely necessary for the specific

task at hand, no more and no less. The rider has to be able, for example, to firm up the muscles

surrounding his waist, while at the same time relaxing his hips. It has to be possible to use thighs

and calves separately from each other, because they have different areas of influence.

Continued on Page 25 …..


Continued from Page 24…..

The hands have to be

independent of the seat

and legs, while at the

same time being con-

nected to them. This

separation of the various

muscles is what enables

the rider to follow the

horse’s movement with a

supple, yet stable seat,

and to apply each aid

precisely without

unwanted interferences

in other parts of the

body. This way, all aids

become like the instru-

ments in an orchestra

that have their own

distinct scores to play, yet they all play in harmony with each other.

©2005 Thomas Ritter. All Rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce in Passage Newsletter has been granted to Dressage Winnipeg.


Dressage Canada News

News from the FEI—FEI Junior Dressage Tests - version 2003 will still be in force for 2005 and new tests will be introduced for 2006. Rule Changes & Corrections effective January 2005 are available at:

http://www.dressagecanada.org/pdf/FEI-Rulechanges-2005.pdf

Christine Peters New Dressage Coordinator - Sunday, April 03, 2005 Dressage Canada is very pleased to announce that Christine Peters is the new Dressage Coordinator at the Equine Can-ada effective March 21, 2005. “ I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to work with the Dressage Canada Board, all it’s Committees and our Canadian Dressage Athletes.” said Peters. “ I look forward to assisting with established and new Dressage Canada initiatives and programs that will put our Athletes on podiums and will advance Canadian Coaches, Officials and grass root riders to new heights.” Peters, who has been riding since the age of 5, has been with Equine Canada since 2000 as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director as well as Assistant to the Olympic disciplines of Eventing and Dressage. Her experience and knowledge will prove to be a valuable asset to Dressage Canada in her new role.

Evi Strasser and Leslie Reid Represent Canada at World Cup Dressage Final Karen Robinson for Dressage Canada - Thursday, April 21, 2005

One person’s misfortune can be another’s good luck, as turned out to be the case for Evi Strasser and Quantum Tyme at the World Cup Final in Las Vegas. Germany’s strongest contenders for the title, Isabell Werth and Anthony FRH, were forced to withdraw earlier this week. At eighteen, Anthony would have been the oldest horse in the final; this was to be his swan song. Strasser, who was in Las Vegas to compete in a national Grand Prix class on April 22, was invited to take the spot vacated by Werth. In all, eighteen horses from ten countries competed in the first round of competition, with the top twelve advancing to the final on Saturday.

Dressage Canada, as a committee of Equine Canada, is the National governing body for Dressage in Canada. Dressage Canada's ob-jective is to foster the growth of Dressage and the pursuit of excellence in the sport at the local, national and international levels. Dres-sage Canada provides support and guidance to both amateur and professional through the following programs: coaching education and programs, officials education and programs, rules & qualify ing criteria, sport development, publications & awards. For more informa-tion about Dressage Canada email [email protected], or visit us online at www.dressagecanada.org. Photo © Kathryn Eitutis


Are you interested in riding and designing a Musical Freestyle? StoneHill Farm has arranged for a Clinic with Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage! May 14 and 15, 2005

The purpose of a freestyle clinic is to give riders the skills to create their own freestyle. Because this clinic does not focus on technical aspect of training, freestyle clinics are fun for both riders and horses. The private mounted sessions are interesting and educational for spectators, whether they are riders, coaches’ judges or non- riding friends and family! While the rider will benefit from a single session, 2 sessions are recommended in order to cover the entire design process. Day one is music, day 2 is choreography. If on is all you can attend, that is ok, choreography will be touched on at the end of the session. Go to www.applausedressage.com for more information about Karen and her many famous clients! FORMAT: Saturday, May 14, 9:00 to 12:00 - Seminar on how freestyles are created and judged. You will learn about every step if the design process and what to consider when choosing music. Karen welcomes questions! LOCATION: Days Inn, 2130 Currie Blvd. South of Shoppers Mall just off 18th street Saturday, May 14, 2:00 to 5:00 – 4 scheduled 45 minute private rides Sunday, May 15 9:00 to 5:00 – 8 scheduled 45 minute private rides COSTS o f CLINIC: Riders – 2 - 45 minute private lessons, as well as the Saturday morning lecture and spectator privileges for the entire weekend - $ 150.00 Riders – 1 – 45 minute private lesson as well as the Saturday morning lecture and spectator privileges for the entire weekend - $ 85.00 Auditor – Saturday morning lecture as well as spectator privileges for the entire weekend - $ 35.00 LOCATION: StoneHill Farm - 13 miles south of the Shoppers Mall on Highway 10, turn east on the Treesbank Road for 2 and ½ miles. These spaces will fill up quickly, please reserve your riding space and lecture space by returning the attached form as soon as possible. Canteen will be available on Sunday for lunch at StoneHill Farm.

*****

Name ____________________________________________ Phone Number_____________________________________ Auditor - $ 35.00 One Ride - $ 85.00 Preferred time on Sunday______________________ Two Rides – $ 150.00 Preferred ride times _________________________ P lease forward application and cheque to: StoneHill Farm Box 20019 Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6Y8 For additional information please call Lori at 727-2922. All riders must be Manitoba Horse Council members.

************

All Dressage Winnipeg Members: For those Dressage Winnipeg Association members who may be considering attending the Musical Freesty le Clinic being held at StoneHill Farm on May 14 and 15, we have contacted the Days Inn regarding hotel rates. The Days Inn at 3130 Currie Boulevard is located just south of the Shoppers Mall which is on 18th street (second entrance into Bran-don off the Trans Canada Highway) The Saturday morning lecture with Karen is being held there. The days Inn offers a rate of 75.50 per night. However, if you have a group coming out, and you are ok with adjoining rooms, for 119.00 you can get two adjoining rooms, one with a king size bed and on with 2 queen sized beds! What a deal! Plus they have a breakfast included available from 6 – 10! Come on out! Days Inn, 3130 Curry Boulevard, Brandon 1-888-213-2192, 727-3600


If undeliverable, please return to:

206-1683 Pembina Highway

Winnipeg, MB R3T 2G6

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